Almost every conventional pressure and position detection sensor detects a pressure distribution, and scans sensors or electrodes arranged on an X-Y matrix to detect the pressure distribution and calculates positions of pressure (see, for example, patent documents 1 and 2). However, in order to X-Y scan all the positions that are subjected to pressures, it takes time to calculate a center of gravity location of the pressures, an area of the pressures and an average pressure that are necessary information. For example, in the case where a sensor of 50×50 mm with a resolution of 1 mm is scanned even at 100 MHz, it takes 25μsec per element. Moreover, hard wires (2500 lines) to these scanning lines (50×50) become huge wiring as the sensor becomes a large one, which has become application hindrances.
Moreover, although pressure and position detection sensors that each combine a pressure sensor and X-Y coordinate detecting means to demonstrate similar functions are proposed by patent documents 3 to 8, since each detects pressure and position information by a combination of two or more sheets of functional materials, when position information of a pressing can be detected accurately, it is impossible to detect pressure information at that position. Conversely, when pressure information can be detected accurately, that position information becomes inaccurate, and therefore there is a shortcoming that both of a pressure and a center of gravity coordinates of the pressure cannot be detected accurately.
Furthermore, although pressure and position detection sensors each of which combines pressure sensitive conductive rubber or a piezoelectric composite material and a resistor to detect pressure coordinates have been proposed, each one cannot provide precision. In addition, they are not for obtaining a pressure and a contact area. Therefore, they are insufficient as a pressure and position detection sensor or a tactile sensor (see, for example, patent documents 9 to 11).
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 10-178688 (1998)
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-B 7-58233 (1995)
Patent document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 59-178301 (1984)
Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-B 60-35602 (1985)
Patent document 5: Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-B 61-32601 (1986)
Patent document 6: Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-B 60-37401(1985)
Patent document 7: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 61-208533 (1986)
Patent document 8: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 05-61592 (1993)
Patent document 9: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 59-110595 (1984)
Patent document 10: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 60-71194 (1985)
Patent document 11: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A 61-47501 (1986)